Cross-tie.



J. H. COLLINS.

GROSS TIE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21, 1011.

Patented 1112114.19

R O T N E m 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ATTORNEY J. H. COLLINS. v

GROSS TIE.

APPLICATION FILED sB1 T z1,1911.

Patented Mau'.` 19, 1912.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2l WN W WITNESSES A TTORNEY J. H. COLLINS.

GROSS TIE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED sBPT.2`1,1911. 1,020,886. Patented Mar.19,1912.

y s SHEETS-SHEET a.

l\ km M .Y f @I if W I TTCRNEY UNITED STATESMFATENT GFFICE.

JAMES H. COLLINS, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CROSS-TIE.

laterally to compensate for the expansion and contraction thereof and ,to partlyab- 'sorb the transverse thrust of the vehicle trucks thereon, particularly at curves, switches, etc.

With this and other objects in view, such as are brought out. fully in the following specification and appended claims, the invention presents a construction illust-rated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 is a top plan view; Fig. 3 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view; Fig. 5 is an end view; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, Fig. 7 is a perspective of the immediate rail support; Fig. 8 -isa plan view of a curve of track employing the device; Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and Fig. 10 a section on the line 10--10 of Fig. 3. ,y

Referring to the drawings, the tie consists primarily in a hollow casing 10, slightly 'oblong in cross section, with a bottom wall -11 considerably thicker than the others, and oppositely extended in the regions of its ends to form a reinforced supportingA surface 12. The bottom wall is furthermore vprovided with a recess 13, increasing in depth toward the transverse center, and this recess is in turn provided with a series of converging grooves 14, for a purpose hereinafter described. Extending from the recess 13 into the casing 10 are a plurality of holes 15, adapted to drain the interior of the tie, while protruding outwardly and downwardly therefrom are abrupt projections 16. The to wall of the casing is substantially at, with its side edges 21 rounded throughout a part of their length, to offer less obstruction to any chains, hose-cou plings, etc., which miglithang from cars passing thereover. The wall 20 is furthermore provided with `rectangular apertures 22, disposed centrally above thereinforced sup- Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 21, 1911.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Serial No. 650,493.

porting surfaces 12 of the bottom wall and extending Hush with the inner side walls of the tie. Immediately adjacent to said apertures and integral with the side walls 23 of the casing' 10 are inwardly projecting shoulders 24, beginning directly beneath the top wall 2O and extending to within a short distance of the bottom 11 of the casing.

Within the tie resting upon the reinforced portions 25 of the base and extendingv approximately one-half inch through and beyond the apertures 22, are blocks 30, from one-half to one inch shorter than said apertures. The block is made of any suitable material, and this may act when made of wood, for instance, as a cushion for the rails 31 secured in any desired manner thereto. Covering and secured to the bottom of the block is a metallic plate 32, while L plates 33 are secured to and arranged to protect the vertical edges thereof. Each of the blocks 30 is drilled substantially centrally throughout its length, and extending through and between the two blocks is a rod 35. The rod 35 is provided with threads 3G for a considerable distance inward from each end, and around said threaded portions are similar heavy tension springs 37, pressing normally against washers 38, adjacent to the respective blocks and held in semi-compressed condition by nuts 39, said nuts in turn being prevented from disengagement with the rod by cotter pins 40, or the like. Furthermore, the rod 35 at intervals throughout its length between the blocks 30, extends through and in sliding engagement with a plurality of brackets 41, integral with and extending upwardly from the base of the tie casing. By this construction the tie as a whole is raised when the rails 31, secured to the blocks 30 are raised, and said blocks are thereby maintained in normal position adjacent to the bottom of the tie casing. On the outside of the casing and extending upwardly from the lateral projections of the reinforced portions 12 are webs 42, tying the said project-ions to the side walls of the cross tie and adaptedto make the latter aid in the support of the upward pressure upon the former.

The device as a whole in its preferred form when assembled is best shown in Fig. 3 in cross section, and operates as follows: The rails 31 are secured to the blocks 30, lwhich are normally pressed wit-h equal force against the innermost walls of the apertures 22 in the top wall 20 of the casing' of: ballast (not shown), which extends up` ward into the recess 13 and encircles the projections 16. As is customary, the bailast is tamped beneath the tie, and engaging the projections 16 and the end walls of the groove 13, prevents the tie'vfrom any material longitudinal `movement. There is then left practically unrestrained the horizontal vibrations of the tie, principally those in a longitudinal direction, and these vibrations by the construction of the recessed and grooved base are utilized to solidify or settle the ballast once tamped thereunder, the inverted V-shaped recess tending to :torce the particles of ballast toward the transverse center, while `the converging grooves also assist to the same end in the same direction, as well as increasing l track.

the compression toward the longitudinal center.

In the operation of the device, when in position on the road-bed and with the re spective rails secured to the blocks thereover, said rails are normally maintained at their innermost limit of movement, which may be any vpredetermined gage. When a car or train is sent over the rails at any rate of speed within a. predetermined limit, no relative change takes place in the position of either rail, but when a train at high speedl takes a curve or switch provided with this device, as with all others, the coetlicient of safety of the outer rail against spreading decreases with an increase in the speed ot' the train. `When the speed of the train has becomesuch that all of the coefficient of safety on the rail mentioned is eliminated, something must give, such as a wheel, flange or rail, either of which often breaks, or in the latter case, are thrown from their fastenings and spread, ,and -in either case permitting part or all of the train to leave the With these facts in view, the present invention has been designed to permit the necessary something l to give, and that something is the rail against which the great side thrust is exerted. But in permitting the rail to yield, in extreme cases the amount and extent of that same yielding is governed and limited, the former by the tension of the springs, and the latter by the extent ofthe aperture surrounding the rail supporting blocks. Furthermore, by the longitudinal position of the rod 35 being entirely governed by `the blocks, any displacement of either block causes one-half as much displacement of the rod, thereby permitting bot-h springs to share equally any rail displacing thrust on either block.

Leccese While the foregoing use of the device, as

stated, is designed for controlling the outcome in the caseof excessive speeds only, there is another use for which it is designed, and which makes the venlployment ot' the cross tie on straight stretches of track desirable as well as on curves, switches, etc. This use is to. control the shape and position of the rails when forced to curve by con-4 traction and expansion, due to changes inv temperature. Whereas in the` present case in which rails so affected pull out or shear 0E the spikes intended tosecure them to the ties and bow upwardly or horizontally, the device yherewith presented forces the bowing to remain in a horizontal plane and permits it to extend over a greater portion of the track without loosening the grip of the spikes thereupon., and at everyypointlimits vthe extent of the bowed displacement from one-half to one inch. TWith this restriction and the fact that a standard wheel base outsidet-he flange is at least three inches, it is clear that while one or both rails may be zigzagged for quite a distance, at no place will a wheelever get nearer to the inner edge of a rail'than from one to two inches.

It is not intended in the foregoing de scription to limit this device to the exact details of construction described and illus-- trated, but any alterations may be made therein which do not depart from the spirit oi"A the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my' invention, what I desire to protect by Letters Patent or' the United States is:

1. The combination of a pair of spaced. rails with resilient means local to each rail and operative to force said rails together, and means connecting said resilient means to equalize the respective tensions thereupon.

2. rlhe combination of a pair of spaced rails with resilient means local to each rail' means to limit the relative approach oft said rails, and means connecting said resilient means to equalize the respective tensions thereupon. 1

3. The combination of a 'pair of spaced rails with a cross tie comprising a pair of spaced blocks to which said rails are respectively secured, and resilient means oper ati ve to torce said blocks together.

e. The combination of a pair of spaced rails with a cross tie comprising a pair of spaced blocks to which said rails are respec-v tively securedresilient means operative to' force said blocks together, and means to limit the relative approach of said blocks.

5. The combination of a air of spaced rails with a cross tie comprising' a pair ofk spaced blocks to which said rails are respectivelyy secured, resilient means operative to v force said blocks together, means to limit the esv yand. operative to force said rails together, l

lforce said blocks together, means to limit ,the relative approach of said blocks, means extending between said.resilient means ,to equalize the respective pressures thereupon,

said last-named means being in slidable engagcment, with the body of said tie.

7. The combination of a pair of spaced rails with a cross tie comprising a pair of spaced blocks to which said rails are respectively secured, resilient means operative to' force said blocks together, means to limit the relative approach of said blocks, means extending between said resilient means to equalize the respective pressures thereu on, and means inte ral with the body ofsai tie for holding sai last-named means'in permanent spaced relation therefrom.

8. The combination of a rail with a cushion support therefor, said support being armored onits base and edge portions respectively.

9. The combination of a pair of rails, with resilient means local to each rail, and operative to permit either of said rails to yleld outwardly, and means connecting said resilient means to equalize their respective pressures when one of said rails is shifted.

10. The combination of a pair of rails, with adjustable resilient means local to each rail, and operative to permit either of said rails to yield outwardly, and means connecting said resilient means to equalize their respective pressureswhen one of said rails is shifted. 1

11. A hollow tie substantially rectilinear in cross section, the bottom wall thereof being reinforced on the inner side adjacent to the ends and the topl wall being provided w'ith apertures opposite to said reinforced portions, ablock on each of said reinforced portions and projecting upwardly through said apertures, said blocks being substantially equal in width and less in length than said apertures, and rails secured to `said blocks.

12. A hollow tie substantially rectilinear in cross section, the bottom wall thereof being `reinforced on the inner side adjacent to the ends, and the top wall being providedy other.

with apertures opposite to said reinforced portions, a block on each of said reinforced portions and projecting upwardly through said apertures, said blocks being substantially equal in width and less in length than said apertures, rails secured to said blocks, a rod extending 'through said blocks, and a spring `.surrounding each end of said rod and coperating to `press said blocks toward each other.

13. A hollow tie substantially rectilinear in cross section, the bottom wall thereof being reinforced on the inner side adjacent to the ends, Aand the topwall being provided with apertures opposite to Said reinforced portions', a block on each of said reinforced portions and projecting upwardly through said' apertures, said blocks-being substantially equal in width and less in length than said apertures, rails secured to said blocks, a rod extending through said blocks, a spring surrounding each end of said rod, and coperating to press said blocks toward each other, and means to limit the movement of ,said blocks while under the influence 'of said springs.

14. A tie comprising a hollow body, a plurality of rail supports slidably mounted therein, rails mounted on said supports, and means to normallyhold each rail to gage with the other.

15. A tie comprising a hollow body, a plurality of rail supports slidably 4mounted therein, rails mounted on said supports, and coperating means local to each rail to normally hold said rails to gage with each 16. The combination of a pair of rails, with a tie comprising a' resilient means local to each rail, to permit said rails to yield outwardly, and means to prevent said rails from yielding inwardly.

17.. The combinat-'on of a pair of rails,

with yielding resilient means operative to` permit said rails to yield outwardly, and means local to each rail and operative to positively prevent said rails from alplproaching each other closer than their nor al, pre determined gage. y

In witness 4whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13-day of September, A. D.,

- JAMES H. COLLINS.

Witnesses:

NETTIE O. FREEMAN, J. STUART FREEMAN.

ve cents each,- by addressing the Commissioner ot Patents, i Washington, D. C. 

